U.S. patent application number 12/888602 was filed with the patent office on 2011-03-31 for method and apparatus for operating an electrical appliance.
This patent application is currently assigned to E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau GmbH. Invention is credited to Martin Baier.
Application Number | 20110074224 12/888602 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43127187 |
Filed Date | 2011-03-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110074224 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Baier; Martin |
March 31, 2011 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING AN ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE
Abstract
In a method for operating an electrical appliance such as a hob,
the electrical appliance has a plurality of functional units, an
operator control surface and a freely movable operator control
element for mounting on the operator control surface, with a
mounting point for the operator control element provided on the
operator control surface for each functional unit. A sensor for a
touch switch and a sensor for identifying the rotation of the
operator control element are provided on the mounting point. The
mounting of an operator control element on the mounting point is
identified and evaluated as an activation indication of the
associated functional unit. Subsequent rotation of the operator
control element is identified and effects a change in the
functional unit, with a functional state of the corresponding
functional unit being maintained after the operator control element
is removed from the mounting point.
Inventors: |
Baier; Martin; (Ettlingen,
DE) |
Assignee: |
E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau
GmbH
|
Family ID: |
43127187 |
Appl. No.: |
12/888602 |
Filed: |
September 23, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
307/115 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H03K 2217/94068
20130101; F24C 7/083 20130101; H03K 17/972 20130101; H03K 17/962
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
307/115 |
International
Class: |
H01H 19/14 20060101
H01H019/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 25, 2009 |
DE |
10 2009 048 494.9 |
Claims
1. A method for operating an electrical appliance comprising a
plurality of functional units, an operator control surface, at
least one freely movable and removable operator control element for
mounting on said operator control surface, a plurality of marked
mounting points provided on said operator control surface wherein
each mounting point is associated with one of said plurality of
functional units, each marked mounting point for mounting by said
operator control element, a first sensor for a touch switch, and a
second sensor for identifying a rotation or a rotational position
of said operator control element provided on or beneath each
mounting point, said method comprising the steps of: mounting said
movable operator control element on a particular mounting point;
identifying said mounting as activation of one of said plurality of
functional units associated with said particular mounting point;
determining a subsequent rotation of said operator control element;
and changing a functional state of an associated functional unit
comprising said one of said plurality of functional units based on
said rotation, wherein said functional state of said one of said
plurality of functional units is maintained after said operator
control element is removed from said particular mounting point.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein application of a finger
on another mounting point without said operator control element on
said another mounting point is identified and further comprises the
step of: de-activating a functional unit associated with said
another mounting point.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said operator control
element has sensor means and wherein an operation of said sensor
means when said operator control element is mounted on said
particular mounting point is identified by an associated second
sensor beneath said particular mounting point.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of changing
said functional state of said one of said plurality of functional
units is associated with said particular mounting point being
enabled after operation of said sensor means.
5. The method according to claim 3, wherein if said sensor means is
operated within a pre-specified time of at most 10 seconds after
said operator control element is mounted on said particular
mounting point then said functional state of said associated
functional unit is changed, otherwise said associated functional
unit otherwise is switched off.
6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps
of: mounting said operator control element on one of said mounting
points; operating said sensor means a second time; and deactivating
said one of said plurality of functional units in response to
operating said sensor means said second time.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said electrical
appliance has a single operator control element.
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein all said mounting
points for said functional units are of identical design.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said electrical
appliance is a hob having a plurality of cooking points as
functional units.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said operator control
element has to be moved or rotated within a prespecified time of at
most 10 seconds after said operator control element is mounted on
said particular mounting point in order to effect a subsequent
change in said functional state of said associated functional
units, wherein said associated functional units otherwise is
switched-off.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein a timer for one of
said plurality of functional units is employed together with said
particular mounting point and said operator control element which
is mounted on said mounting point.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said mounting point
for a functional unit changes to a timer mode by operation of a
changeover sensor means for the purpose of inputting a timer
value.
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said changeover
sensor means is a touch switch on said operator control
surface.
14. The method according to claim 1, wherein a basic functional
setting and said functional state of said particular mounting point
is maintained after removal of said operator control element from
said mounting point, wherein if said operator control element is
not mounted on another mounting point within a prespecified time of
5 seconds or more, a controller determines either a fault condition
or an input to switch-off and secure said electrical appliance, and
said electrical appliance is correspondingly switched off.
15. An apparatus for an electrical appliance comprising: a
controller; a plurality of functional units controlled by said
controller; an operator control surface, further comprising a
plurality of marked mounting points, wherein each marked mount
point corresponds to one of the plurality of functional units; at
least one removable operator control element for mounting on said
operator control surface; a first sensor for a touch switch; and a
second sensor identifying a rotation or rotational position of said
operator control element, wherein said second sensor is located on
or beneath a particular mounting point, wherein said first sensor
and said second sensor identify mounting of said operator control
element on said particular mounting point, activating an associated
functional unit, and subsequently identify a rotation of said
operator control element to said controller in order to effect a
change in a functional state of said functional unit, wherein said
functional state of said corresponding functional unit is
maintained after said operator control element is removed from said
particular mounting point.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said electrical
appliance has one single operator control element.
17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein all said mounting
points for said associated functional units are of identical
design.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to German Application
Number 10 2009 048 494.9, filed on Sep. 25, 2009, the contents of
which are incorporated by reference for all that it teaches.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a method for operating an
electrical appliance and to a corresponding apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,564,150 and 7,642,673 disclose operator
control apparatuses in which an operator control element, which can
move freely per se, can be mounted on a mounting point on an
operator control surface of an electric hob for rotary operation.
If the operator control element is mounted on the mounting point,
an associated cooking point of the electric hob can be adjusted,
for example in terms of power. If the operator control element is
removed, the functional state of the cooking point cannot be
changed.
SUMMARY
[0004] The invention is based on addressing the problem of
providing a method of the type mentioned below and a corresponding
apparatus for operating an electrical appliance, with which method
and apparatus the problems of the prior art can be overcome and, in
particular, convenient and versatile operator control of an
electrical appliance is possible together with low structural
complexity of the operator control apparatus.
[0005] This problem is solved in various embodiments by a method
and an apparatus as claimed herein. Advantageous and preferred
embodiments of the invention are the subject matter of the further
claims and will be explained in greater detail in the text which
follows. Some of the following features are described only for the
method or only for the apparatus. However, irrespective of this,
they should be applicable both for the method and for the
apparatus. The wording of the claims is incorporated in the content
of the description by express reference.
[0006] The electrical appliance has a plurality of functional
units, for example a plurality of cooking points in the case of a
hob, an operator control surface and at least one freely movable
operator control element for mounting on the operator control
surface. To this end, a marked mounting point is provided on the
operator control surface for each functional unit, the operator
control element being mounted on said mounting point for the
purpose of operator control. Fewer operator control elements than
mounting points are advantageously provided, and particularly
preferably a single operator control element is provided. A sensor
for a touch switch is provided on or beneath the mounting point, it
being possible for the said sensor to be operated by the
application of a finger in particular, and also a sensor for
identifying the rotation or rotation position of the operator
control element is provided on or beneath the mounting point. This
can take place capacitively, as described in U.S. Pat. No.
7,564,150 for example, with a finger touching a sensor on the
operator control element and this serving for the lower sensor to
identify the rotation or rotation position. As an alternative, this
can take place magnetically with Hall sensors, in accordance with
U.S. Pat. No. 7,642,673.
[0007] Mounting of an operator control element on a mounting point
is identified by one of the abovementioned sensors and is evaluated
as enabling or selection of the associated functional unit or its
input. A subsequent movement or rotation of the operator control
element effects a change in the functional state of the functional
unit, for example an adjustment in the power level upwards or
downwards in the case of a cooking point. After the operator
control element is removed from the mounting point, the functional
state of the corresponding functional unit which is set at this
time is maintained, that is to say continues to operate and is not
switched off. The functional state is advantageously frozen, as it
were, and, by way of example, the power can only be adjusted again
by means of an operator control element being mounted.
[0008] Therefore, in the case of an electrical appliance with a
plurality of functional units, it is firstly possible for fewer
operator control elements to be required, and in an advantageous
embodiment for only one single operator control element to be
required. Nevertheless, all the functional units can be operated or
set using a few or using one single operator control element, but
only one after the other in the case of a single operator control
element. However, this does not present a problem in practice since
mostly only a single operator works at an electrical appliance, for
example a hob, in any case and therefore the functional units or
cooking points are operated only sequentially in any case.
[0009] In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention,
the application of a finger to a mounting point on which there is
no operator control element can be identified and the associated
functional unit can be switched off. To this end, the
above-mentioned sensor for the touch switch can be a capacitive
sensor, as is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,165 or
else from the abovementioned document U.S. Pat. No. 7,564,150,
which advantageously can be designed and activated such that it can
identify not only the operator control element and rotation of the
said operator control element but also the application of a finger.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the two
abovementioned sensors can then even be combined to form a single
sensor. The advantage of this is that the application of a finger
to the mounting point is sufficient to switch off a functional
unit, which should be possible very quickly and almost intuitively
under certain circumstances, said mounting point acting like a
conventional touch switch in this case. Therefore, an operator
control element does not need to be moved nor potentially interfere
with a function of another functional unit.
[0010] In a further embodiment of the invention, the operator
control element can have sensor means which are designed such that
operation of the said operator control element when or after the
operator control element is mounted on a mounting point is
identified by associated sensors, in particular one of the
abovementioned sensors. Sensor means of this kind on an operator
control element are known from the abovementioned documents U.S.
Pat. No. 7,564,150 or U.S. Pat. No. 7,642,673 and can be likewise
in the form of capacitively operating touch switches in those
documents. A signal from a touch switch or a touch switch surface
on the operator control element can be coupled to a sensor beneath
the mounting point by means of a capacitive coupling, and therefore
the operation of the sensor means can be identified from beneath
the mounting point. As a result, it is not yet possible for the
functional unit to be set or adjusted by way of the mounted
operator control element at the mounting point, but the sensor
means first has to be operated beforehand. This is an additional
safety measure against undesired unintentional adjustment of the
functional unit.
[0011] In a further embodiment, provision may be made here for
operation of the sensor means to have to be performed within a
prespecified time of at most 10 seconds, preferably at most 3 to
seconds, after the operator control element is mounted on a
mounting point in order to effect a subsequent change in the
functional state of the associated functional unit. If this does
not take place in the prescribed time, the associated functional
unit is alternatively either disabled again or even, if it was
previously activated, switched off or deactivated. A switch-off or
de-activation process can be indicated or accompanied by signals in
each case.
[0012] In a yet further embodiment, provision can be made here for
the associated functional unit to be switched off, without the
operator control element being rotated or moved, by again operating
the sensor means when an operator control element is mounted on a
mounting point. As a result, in contrast with the above-described
switching off of a functional unit by application of a finger to
the mounting point, switch-off can also be performed without the
operator control element having to be removed in order to expose
the mounting point. Therefore, it is possible for a setting to be
made on the functional unit at any time shortly after the operator
control element is mounted on a mounting point and the sensor means
is operated, without the sensor means having to be operated again.
The functional unit is activated, specifically switched off, only
when it is operated again.
[0013] In an alternative, somewhat simpler embodiment of the
apparatus and primarily of the operator control element, the said
operator control element can be designed without the
above-described sensor means. Therefore, the operator control
element can primarily be simpler and fewer sensors may possibly be
used at the mounting point. In this case, it suffices to mount the
operator control element on a mounting point, as it were, as a
selection of the corresponding functional unit for subsequent
setting or adjustment by rotation or movement of the operator
control element. The functional unit can be switched off by the
operator control element being removed from the mounting point
again and a finger being placed on the said mounting point in order
to switch off the said functional unit, as described above.
[0014] If the operator control element does not have any sensor
means, provision can likewise be made, as a safety function, for
the operator control element to have to be moved or rotated within
a prespecified time of at most 10 seconds, preferably at most 3 to
5 seconds, after the operator control element is mounted on a
mounting point, otherwise either the associated functional unit
will be switched off or the entire electrical appliance will be
switched off, as has been described above. It goes without saying
that corresponding signalling processes can also be performed again
in this case.
[0015] Firstly, provision can be made, in one embodiment of the
invention, for a timer function to be integrated. A special
mounting point can be provided for this, it being possible for a
timer for the functional unit which was set last by the operator
control element to be set by way of the said special mounting point
when an operator control element is mounted on the said special
mounting point.
[0016] Secondly, the operator control element can remain on the
mounting point of the associated corresponding functional unit, and
the function changes over, as it were, to a timer mode by operation
of a changeover sensor means, in particular a special timer touch
switch in the operator control surface, and a timer can be set or a
corresponding pre-specified time can be made by moving or rotating
the operator control element. The said pre-specified time can then
be taken either as a final timer pre-specification after a few
seconds or else after operation of a sensor means on the operator
control element or after the changeover sensor means is operated
once again for the timer input.
[0017] With regard to the structural embodiment of the operator
control element and the operator control surface or the mounting
point, incorporation by reference is firstly made explicitly to
U.S. Pat. No. 7,564,150 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,642,673. In this case,
a central capacitive sensor element can advantageously be provided
in addition to sensors and/or sensor areas for identifying mounting
and rotation of the operator control element and operation of a
sensor means which may be provided, the said central capacitive
sensor element solely being designed and functioning as a touch
switch for identifying a finger being applied to the mounting
point. Therefore, both this sensor and the other sensors can be
particularly well designed for, and matched to their respective
special function.
[0018] These and further features can be gathered not only from the
claims, but also from the description and the drawings, where the
individual features can be realized in each case by themselves or
in combination in the form of subcombinations in an embodiment of
the invention and in other fields and can constitute advantageous
and inherently patentable embodiments for which protection is
claimed here. The subdivision of the application into individual
sections and subheadings do not restrict the general validity of
the statements made thereunder.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are schematically
illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in greater detail
in the text which follows. In the drawings:
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an operator control apparatus
according to the invention, without an operator control
element,
[0021] FIG. 2 shows a sectional illustration of an embodiment of an
operator control apparatus according to the invention including an
operator control element, and
[0022] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the operator control apparatus
from FIG. 1 with an operator control element mounted on it in
accordance with FIG. 2, with a finger placed on the said operator
control element.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates an operator control apparatus 10
according to the invention on an operator control surface 12, with
the operator control apparatus 10 being part of an electrical
appliance, for example an electric hob. In one embodiment, the
operator control surface 12 can be a glass-ceramic hob plate.
[0024] The operator control apparatus 10 has, on the operator
control surface 12, three mounting points 13a to 13c which are each
marked by an annular identifier and have a small ring in the
centre. Other embodiments may have more or less mounting points.
Displays 15a to 15c are arranged to the top-right of the mounting
points 13, said displays being in the form of seven-segment
displays. In the case of an electric hob as the electrical
appliance and cooking points as the functional units, the said
displays can be used to display the power levels of the said
cooking points. Adjacent symbols which indicate which of the
cooking points of the electric hob the respective mounting points
13 belong to and which cooking point can be operated by the said
mounting point are illustrated to the left of the displays 15.
[0025] A timer switch 16 is provided to the left of the mounting
point 13a and has a corresponding marking and is in the form of a
customary capacitive touch switch. A two-digit timer display 17,
which is again in the form of a customary seven-segment display, is
provided above the said timer switch.
[0026] A lower magnet 20 and two Hall sensors 42 for identifying
the direction of rotation are provided at the central mounting
point 13b. This will be explained in greater detail below in
relation to FIG. 2, with the lower magnet 20 corresponding to an
otherwise customary sensor element of a capacitive touch switch.
This is known from U.S. Pat. No. 7,642,673. On the right-hand side
of FIG. 1, a finger 11 is applied to the mounting point 13c. This
will also be explained in greater detail in the text which follows
in relation to the operator control method.
[0027] FIG. 2 shows the arrangement from FIG. 1 in sectional view.
An operator control element 24 is provided on the operator control
surface 12 of the operator control device 10, is in the form of a
rotary knob and can be rotated about a rotation axis 26. The said
operator control element is mounted by a central magnet 18 in the
operator control element 24 and the opposite magnet 20 beneath the
operator control surface 12. A sheet metal or metal star 30 runs
above the magnet 18 in the operator control element 24. The said
star has, for example, five arms and is connected to the magnet 18
in such a way that the individual arms of the metal star 30 are
likewise magnetic. The rotation position can be determined in a
known manner using Hall sensors 42 beneath the operator control
surface 12, as is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 7,642,673
to which reference is explicitly made in this respect.
[0028] The magnet 18 is electrically conductively connected to an
electrically conductive planar touch sensor 52 on the upper face of
the operator control element 24 by way of a connection 50
(illustrated by way of a dashed line). This illustration is merely
schematic, various arrangements of touch sensors 52 at various
points are possible, as are a plurality of touch sensors.
[0029] The lower magnet 20 is electrically connected to a control
system 57, comprising a microprocessor, on a printed circuit board
58 by means of an elastic and electrically conductive, plastic or
elastic body 56. The Hall sensors 42 are also connected to this
control system 57.
[0030] If an operator now touches the touch sensor 52, this creates
an electrical connection between the touch sensor and the central
magnet 18. This can be passed to the control system 57 by means of
a capacitive coupling between the magnets 18 and 20, which operate
as electrically conductive surfaces, and the electrical connection
56. Therefore, the said control system can identify that one of the
touch sensors is being touched through the operator control surface
12 in accordance with the operating principle of a capacitive touch
sensor, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,165 or
U.S. Pat. No. 7,642,673, which was previously identified. Since the
operator control element 24 always rotates about its central axis
26 and therefore the two magnets 18 and 20 do not move away from
one another, the association is the same in each direction of
rotation and contact is always identified. Therefore, in this case,
the touch sensor 52, in interaction with the magnet 18 is the
abovementioned sensor means, to be precise in the form of a touch
switch.
[0031] The shown points on the operator control element 24 at which
the touch sensor 52 is fitted can depend on the respective intended
use. Providing the touch sensor 52 in the centre has the advantage
that, in addition to very good separate operation similar to a
normal touch switch without rotary movement, operation is possible
with simultaneous rotation even for small angles of rotation.
[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates, in a plan view, how the operator control
element 24, which is the only operator control element of the
operator control apparatus 10, is mounted on the mounting point
13b. As has been explained previously, mounting of the operator
control element 24 on the mounting point 13b can be identified by
the operator control apparatus 10 or the control system 57, for
example, because the Hall sensors 42 can detect the magnetic field
of the operator control element 24, or at the lower magnet 20 as a
capacitive sensor element. According to one embodiment of the
invention, even mounting the operator control element 24 on the
mounting point 13b suffices for the corresponding cooking point to
be selected and the power of the said cooking point then to be able
to be adjusted. This is done by rotating the operator control
element 24 by hand. The display 15b in FIG. 3 shows that power
level "7" has now been set. Therefore, the corresponding cooking
point can now be either operated immediately at power level "7" or,
alternatively, the touch sensor 52, as the sensor means, first has
to be operated by the finger 11 again, it being possible for this
to be identified by the control system 57 by means of the
capacitive coupling to the magnets 18 and 20, so that operation
starts.
[0033] If the operator control element 24 now remains on the
mounting point 13b, the power level of the corresponding associated
cooking point can be changed at any time by rotation in one of the
two directions. If, in the meantime, another cooking point is to be
switched off because it is no longer required, the finger 11 can,
for example according to FIG. 1, be placed on the corresponding
mounting point 13c and over the capacitive sensor element, which is
provided beneath it, in the form of the corresponding lower magnet.
The control system 57 likewise identifies this and can then switch
off the corresponding cooking point. Therefore, it is possible to
switch off a cooking point without moving the operator control
element 24 and even without using said operator control element at
all. This increases both operational reliability and operator
convenience.
[0034] If the cooking point associated with the mounting point 13b
is to be switched off, provision may be made for the touch sensor
52 to be operated again. Therefore, the operator control element 24
does not need to be removed in order to be able to place a finger
directly on the operator control surface 12, as has been described
previously. Therefore, a cooking point which is associated with a
mounting point 13 can be switched off in two ways.
[0035] If a timer setting is to be made for the cooking point which
is associated with the mounting point 13b, a finger 11 can be
placed on the far left of the timer switch 16. To this end, the
timer display 17 can, for example, flash as an indication that a
timer setting can now be made. The operator control element 24
which is located on the mounting point 13b can now be either
directly rotated since the control system 57 is now in a timer
setting mode after operation of the timer switch 16, and rotation
of the operator control element only sets the timer and not the
power. Therefore, a timer time can be set by rotating the operator
control element 24 and, after setting, can be confirmed, for
example, by operating the touch sensor 52, and implemented. For the
duration of the timer setting, the corresponding display 15b of the
mounting point 13b can also be lit in a specific way in order to
once again indicate that the timer is currently being set for the
corresponding cooking point. However, this is not necessary since
it is clear from the position of the operator control element 24 as
to which mounting point 13, and therefore which cooking point, is
involved. After the timer setting is implemented, the control
system 57 then switches back to normal mode in which rotation of
the operator control element 24 effects a change in the power
level.
[0036] As has been explained above, further safety precautions can
be incorporated in the operator control method or control system
57. Therefore, provision can be made, for example, for the operator
control element 24 to have to be rotated or the touch sensor 52, as
the sensor means, to have to be operated within a time of, for
example, 5 to 10 seconds after the operator control element 24 is
mounted, otherwise a fault signal is produced or the corresponding
cooking point or the entire appliance is switched off. In a further
embodiment of an operator control apparatus 10, there is no
requirement for a separate timer display 17, but for the displays
15 to be used for this purpose and to be correspondingly designed,
in particular to be of two-digit design. In this case, the timer
setting can be read directly from the mounting point 13.
[0037] As a yet further safety device according to the invention,
provision may be made for the basic functional setting and
functional state of a mounting point 13 to be maintained after
removal of the operator control element from this mounting point.
However, if the operator control element 24 is not mounted on
another mounting point 13 within a pre-specified time of, for
example, 5 or 10 seconds or more, this can be identified as a fault
or a desire to switch off and secure the appliance, and the
appliance is correspondingly switched off. This ensures, for
example for child safety purposes, firstly that no adjustments can
be made when the operator control element 24 is removed and
secondly that the appliance is completely switched off.
* * * * *